Education Commons^™

Mentorship And Teacher Retention: Analysis Of Beginning Special Education Teachers’ Experiences In Minnesota, Michele Barron-Albers

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Beginning special education teachers each year enter their classrooms with high expectations and best-practice strategies they are eager to employ. Related literature affirmed, however, that they are quickly faced with what Charlotte Danielson (1999) described as a “sink or swim in the deep end of the pool” culture (p. 251-7) as they grapple with the needed sudden transition from theory to practice. Done well, effective mentoring can become the bridge between preservice learning and classroom experience and guide beginning special education teachers toward a deeper and more impactful teaching practice.

This study’s purpose was to explore facets of new special …

An Evaluation Of Beginning Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding The Implementation Effectiveness And Outcomes Of Teacher Induction Programming In Minnesota Public School Districts, Shorena Dolaberidze

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Background

“No matter the quality of their preparation, new teachers encounter many distinct challenges as they navigate their first months and years in the classroom” (New Teacher Center, 2015, p.1). To empower new teachers and strengthen their performance during instructional times, as well as enhance the effectiveness of their contribution school wide, many school districts implement induction programming. “Research demonstrates that comprehensive, multi-year induction programs accelerate the professional growth of new teachers, reduce the rate of new teacher attrition, provide a stronger return on states’ and school districts’ investment, and improve student learning” (New Teacher Center, 2015, p. 2)

Wong …

A Study Of Select Minnesota Public School Teachers’ Mindfulness As It Relates To Their Stress-Management, Resilience, And Job Satisfaction For Motivation, Shelby Chollett

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Mindfulness is not a new concept or practice, and many organizations are beginning to train their staff in such practices for various purposes such as well-being and productivity. The focus of this research study is to identify mindfulness training programs specific to teachers, the mindfulness techniques teachers are trained on, attributes that can affect motivation and well-being, and the impact mindfulness and practicing mindfulness techniques can have on teachers’ reported levels of mindfulness, stress, resilience, job satisfaction, motivation, and their work environment. While there is an abundance of research on mindfulness, teacher well-being, and human motivation, there is little research …

Stress And Teacher Burnout: The Impact Of Mindfulness Strategies, Kelsey Milne

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Teaching is a high-risk profession considering the impact it has on a teacher’s mental health (McLean & Connor, 2015). Since work-related stress can lead to job burnout, it is important for teachers to develop effective coping strategies to alleviate the high degree of burnout in the teaching occupation (Steinhardt, Jaggars, Faulk, & Gloria, 2011). Numerous studies pointed out the effectiveness, the ease of implementation and the cost-effective factor of mindfulness techniques to address stress and potential burnout (Abenavoli, Harris, Katz, Jennings, & Greenberg, 2014; Roeser, Skinner, Beers, & Jennings, 2012; Stanley, 2011; Winzelberg & Luskin, 1999). Mindfulness techniques have been …

A Study Of Usage And Implementation Of Flexbooks Among High School Algebra And Biology Teachers And Principles In Arizona, Shawn Hoffman-Bram

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The purpose of this study is to discover the challenges, advantages and disadvantages regarding the implementation and usage of customized digital curriculum called Flexbooks or Open Education Resources (OER) in select high school biology and algebra courses in Arizona. The results of this study will be used to assist educational leaders in the implementation of Flexbooks into their respective educational systems.

While economics is a driving factor behind the Flexbook movement, many school systems are struggling with the technology support and necessary infrastructure in order to begin adoption. Studies conducted in higher education systems indicate that technology infrastructure enhancements and …

The Relationship Between Decision And Teacher Morale, Roger M. Esterbrooks

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

THE PROBLEM:

Participative decision-making and morale have been proposed as variables that may significantly affect- the ability of an organization to achieve its end, the educational achievement of its students. One's decisional condition can vary, however: he/she could participate in decisions less than, as much as, or more than he/she preferred. These conditions are labelled decisional deprivation, decisional equilibrium, and decisional saturation. This study tested for significant differences in levels of morale among those three groups. A lesser consideration was the correlation of two continua of decisional condition with morale, ranging from: (1) deprivation through equilibrium to saturation, and (2) …